1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a remote controller and a remote control command reception apparatus which responds to the reception of a remote control command signal transmitted from the remote controller, and then performs a corresponding operation. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for confirming whether the remote control command reception apparatus accurately receives the remote control command signal transmitted from the remote controller.
The present application for confirming a remote control command response is based on Korean Application No. 94-18480 which is incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.
2. Discussion of Related Art
In general, a remote controller remotely controls an electronic machine separated relative to the remote controller. Such a remote controller is widely used in household electric appliances. Also, a remote controlling method is employed to transmit, in a one-way direction, a remote control command signal i.e., a remote control code, based on a selection made by a user, to the remote control command reception apparatus, where the remote control command reception apparatus is a remotely controlled object. Such conventional controllers and methods will be understood through the following description.
The remote control command signal is a remote control signal output from a known remote controller. The remote control command signal preferably is an infrared pulse signal, which includes a system code and a custom code.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a conventional remote controller and a remote control command reception apparatus. A remote control command reception apparatus receives a remote control command signal externally transmitted, and hence, performs an operation corresponding to the received remote control command signal. Further, a remote controller 14, which has at least one or more keys, transmits the remote control command signal, based on a selected key, to the remote control command reception apparatus 12.
In FIG. 1, the remote control command reception apparatus 12 includes a receiving unit 16 and an microprocessing unit (MPU) 18. The receiving unit 16, which is separate from remote controller 14, receives the control command signal transmitted as described above, and outputs a photoelectric converted signal. The MPU 18 decodes the remote control command signal received by receiving unit 16 and performs the corresponding function. The remote controller 14 includes a keypad 20, an MPU 22, and a transmitting unit 24. The keypad 20 includes at least one or more keys mounted on the keypad. The MPU 22 detects selection of a key thereby generating a corresponding remote control command signal. The transmitting unit 24 photoelectric-converts the remote control command signal output from MPU 22 into an infrared signal, and transmits the converted signal to receiving unit 16 of remote control command reception apparatus 12.
The effective transmitting distance and transmitting angle (i.e., the angle between the remote controller 14 and the receiving unit 16) of the remote control command signal transmitted to the remote control command reception apparatus 12 from the remote controller 14, are shown in FIG. 2. Referring to FIG. 2, a symbol "T" indicates a distance at which the remote control command signal transmitted from the remote controller 14 is effectively transmitted to the remote control command reception apparatus 12. Transmitting angles are indicated as .alpha. and .beta.. The preferred effective transmitting distance is changed depending to a characteristic of the infrared diode used in the remote controller 14 and a transmitting output state. However, the effective transmitting distance is generally about 5 m to 7 m. Furthermore, the effective transmitting angle has an effective range of about 45.degree. to 90.degree. degrees about the right and left sides of remote controller 14.
Operation of the apparatus as shown FIG. 1 is explained with reference to FIG. 2, as follows.
In order for a user to remotely control the operation of the remote control command reception apparatus 12, the user must select a key corresponding to a particular operation, which is located on keypad 20 of the remote controller 14, causing a selection key signal to be input to MPU 22. The MPU 22 generates the remote control command signal corresponding to the input key signal to thereby output the signal via an output terminal, to transmitting unit 24. The remote control command signal generated by MPU 22 should preferably be an infrared signal that includes a system code and a custom code. Further, the remote control command signal can equally as well use a general remote controller transmitting format. The transmitting unit 24 inputs the remote control command signal output by MPU 22, and electric-photo converts the received remote control command signal to thereby emit the electric-photo converted signal. That is, transmitting unit 24 electric-photo converts the remote control command signal output from MPU 22 into an infrared light signal to thereby transmit the converted signal through space.
As shown in FIG. 2, since an output of remote controller 14 has a directional characteristic, in general the user should direct emission of the source of light toward receiving unit 16 of the remote control command reception apparatus 12. Accordingly, the remote control command signal transmitted from transmitting unit 24 of remote controller 14 is transmitted to remote control command reception apparatus 12, which can be separated from remote controller 14 by a predetermined distance T. The receiving unit 16 of remote control command reception apparatus 12 photoelectric converts the remote control command signal received as a light signal to thereby input the converted signal to MPU 18 as a logic signal.
The MPU 18 of remote control coammand reception apparatus 12 analyzes the remote control command signal output from receiving unit 16 as digital data to thereby output a control signal to a corresponding functional component of the apparatus (not shown) through a control bus 21, the control signal being capable of initiating performance of a function corresponding to the analyzed signal. Hence, the conventional remote control command reception apparatus 12, constructed as shown in FIG. 1, must be positioned with respect to the remote controller 14 to thus perform an operation corresponding to the selected key of keypad 20.
However, according to the conventional remote controller of FIG. 1, in the case where a user controls an operable mode of remote control command reception apparatus 12 which is disposed in a position away from remote controller 14, by using a key on remote controller 14, there arises a problem in that it is difficult to confirm whether or not the remote control command reception apparatus 12 performs the operation. For example, operation of remote control command reception apparatus 12 may not be apparent to the naked eye. Moreover, in the case of remotely controlling a camcorder, i.e., a video camera recorder, such a problem becomes serious because the camcorder has many operable modes which are not visually confirmed over a remote distance. For example, modes such as or starting, zooming, interval recording, shutter mode, and title mode, are such modes.
Therefore, if, for example remote control command reception apparatus 12 of FIG. 1 is a camcorder, and in the case where a user takes a photograph of oneself in a movable field by using the remote controller 14, it is difficult to confirm whether the camcorder correctly operates in a photographing mode. Such a problem becomes more serious in the case of a remote control operation of a camcorder, being the remote control command reception apparatus 12, in the movable field by using the remote controller 14. Accordingly, in the case of remote control devices such as a camcorder, the user should stand within the distance T and the control angle, as shown in FIG. 2, which limits the range of operation by the user.